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Machi
Machi (Greek μάχη-Battle, Combat) is a world-wide sport played on Pegasus'. It is by far seen as the most popular sport that people of the Greek mythological world play (excluding human sports such as football and rugby). It was founded in the year 1480 by a group of young demigods attempting to steal each others pocket money whilst riding on the backs of their Pegasus'. The International Machi World Cup also started that same year, but with only 12 countries participating. The game consits of two teams of six (One Sighter, two Guiders, two Trippers and a Blocker) and involves two flags (One to represent each team). Individual Roles The Blocker stays at his/her goal post to defend the opposing teams flag (hung in the goal post). The two Trippers try to injure and incapacitate the opposing teams Sighter and Guiders. The Guiders try to stop the opposing teams trippers from obstructing the sighter. Whereas the Sighter has the most important job; to grab their teams flag from the oppositions goal post and safely return it to his/her teams goal post. After a flag is caught and brought to that teams goal post, it is then returned to the opposing teams goal post. All players return to their starting positions and the bell rings to signal the match in play again. Points The aim of the game is to score more points then the opposing team when the final bell is rang (signaling the end of the match, one hour's play time). To score points a teams Sighter must succesfully return their flag from the opposing teams goal post to their goal post, doing so earns ten points for that Sighters team. Points can also be earned by sucessfully incapcitating an opposing Sighter or Guider, doing so earns two points for the Tripper's team. Equally points can be deducted by the referee if the Trippers perform an illegal tackle. Rules #Players must stay within the boundry lines of the pitch, although they may fly as high as they desire. If more than four players leave the boundries then the team forfeits. #A "Time Out" may be called once by each team captain to stop the match for up to ten minutes. If a team fails to return to the pitch after fifteen minutes of the "Time Out" being called, then they automatically forfeit. #Contact is allowed, but a player is forbidden to grab, seize or attempt to hijack another players Pegasus. #Tampering and/or disrupting/enchanting another players pegasus is illegal and will result in the automatic disqualification of a team. #Trippers are allowed the use of the provided bow and arrows, which are safely modified to disrupt and distract opposing Sighters and Guiders without seriously injuring or killing them. However all other form of weaponary is strictly forbidden both on the Pitch and in the Spectator stands. #A team can forfeit at any point during the match but can only do so with their captains consent. #The flags must be prominently displayed at all times and cannot be concealed. #The Sighter, and only the Sighter can capture the flag. #The Blocker is allowed to use excessive force towards any opposing Sighter or Guider that is in that Blockers half of the pitch. #All players are permitted to use individual abilities that incapacitate and inujure a player, however not abilities that would result in the maiming, decapitation or general killing of another player. Machi at Lake Ohio camp for gifted Demigods At Lake Ohio camp for gifted demigods they hold an annual competition called the 'Machi Lake Cup'. It lasts four months and consists of twelve consecutive matches (averaging one match every ten days). It involves thirteen teams and follows a "single elimination" tournament structure. Participating Teams: #Cabin One: Zeus #Cabin Two: Poseidon #Cabin Three: Hades #Cabin Five: Demeter #Cabin Six: Hestia #Cabin Seven: Ares #Cabin Eight: Athena #Cabin Nine: Aphrodite #Cabin Ten: Artemis #Cabin Eleven: Apollo #Cabin Twelve: Hephaestus #Cabin Thirteen: Hermes #Cabin Fourteen: Dionysus All of the matches take place in the stadium built in the Southern West section of the camp. The first round consists of six matches. The second consists of three (Quarter finals). The third round consists of two (semi finals) and the fourth of one (the final). The Machi Lake Cup trophy is presented to the winning team in the closing week of that academic year. In Alex Lovato's first year at Lake Ohio camp for gifted demigods, he arrived in the middle of the competition. He witnessed the second match in the semi-finals (round three). The Aphrodite cabin versus the Poseidon cabin. He described it as "breathtaking" and "at least six times better than footy!". It was made clear that earlier that month the Artemis cabin had beaten the Athena cabin by 120 points, thus going through to the finals. Joining them in the finals was the Poseidon cabin due to their 370-360 defeat of the Aphrodite cabin. The final then took place and the victors emerged as the Artemis House, with a score of 450 to the Poseidon House's 380. International Machi World Cup The International Machi World Cup is an annual Machi competition that takes place on Mount Olympus. It is extremely popular and awaited by mortal and immortal alike. It is the only time that Hades, God of the Underworld, willingly (and is allowed to) set foot on Mount Olympus. The competition involves 32 teams from across the globe and 62 matches, attended by every creature, god, monster and demigod that can get to mount olympus. Participating teams: *Argentina *England *Ireland *Wales *United States *Canada *Spain *Australia *Uganda *France *Germany *Brazil *Scotland *Mexico *Portrugal *Finland *Russia *China *Greece *Greenland *South Africa *Iceland *Sweden *Italy *Japan *Sweden *Egypt *Bulgaria *Belgium *Turkey *Cambodia *New Zealand *Chile It is mentioned in Alex's first year at Lake Ohio that for the "fourth year running" Canada had won the International Machi world cup. ''Main Article: ''International Machi World Cup Timeline European Machi League The European Machi League is a Machi competition that takes place annualy. Aside from the International Machi world cup, it is the second most important event of the year. 32 Regional European teams compete against each in a 'single elimination' tournament structure. These matches take place in various different stadiums across Europe. Participating Teams: *Birmingham Bullies (England) *Dublin Donkeys (Ireland) *Swansea Swines (Wales) *Frankfurt Friers (Germany) *Warsaw Warriors (Poland) *Aphrodite's Paris (France) *Brussel Bombarders (Belgium) *Madrid Monsters (Spain) *Heathrow Hawks (England) *Hestia's Helsinkies (Finland) *Verona United (Italy) *Barcelona Bounty (Spain) *Moscow Maniacs (Russia) *Apollo's Apatity (Russia) *Demidov Destroyers (Russia) *Athena's Athens (Greece) *Spartan Spades (Greece) *Saphire Silks (Wales) *Dusseldorf Dragons (Germany) *Serpent Santanna (Portrugal) *Kiev Conkerers (Ukraine) *Berne Burners (Switzerland) *Serbian Sighters (Serbia) *Hermes Hammers (Norway) *Zeus Zvolen (Slovakia) *Izola Iguana's (Slovenia) *Bulgarian Bullfrogs (Bulgaria) *Vienna Violets (Austria) *Amsterdam Armour United (The Netherlands) *Budapest Biters (Hungary) *Tallin Trippers (Estonia) *Romanian Resita (Romania) In Alex Lovato's first year, it is mentioned that the Demidov destroyers won the cup after their defeat of the Heathrow Hawks in the final. Later in that year Alice Smith mentioned taking Alex to see the next European Machi League final. Machi Tactics Over the centries, many difficult and dangerous moves have been invented by players who constantly push themselves and the game as far as they will go. Among them are: *Trippers Deception: The first tripper drops to the ground to momentarily distract the opposing teams sighter, whilst the second tripper flys at an angle directly towards the sighter with the intention to collide and knock them off their pegasus. *Vienna Cross-over: The first Guider flys infront of their Sighter and then drops under them whilst the second guider does the same but rises over the Sighter. The two Guiders then swap flying patterns and repeat the technique. This makes it harder for the opposing teams Trippers and Blocker to stop the Sighter. *Poseidon's Pursuit: This is an illegal tackle that only demigod children of Poseidon can perform. The first Guider forces the water vapour particles inside the pegasus of the opposing teams Tripper to freeze, sending that pegasus into a frenzy and panic, most likely knocking off the Tripper. The second Guider follows the same procedure with the other Tripper. This leaves a clear path (with the exception of the Blocker) for the Sighter to grab the flag. *Birmingham Backfoot: The Tripper stays stationary until the opposing teams Sighter is in line to the left or right of them, the Tripper then thrusts his foot backwards into the jaw/head/chest of the opposing Sighter. This is classed as an illegal tackle and if caught is punishable by point reduction and possibly the disqualification of the player, depending upon the severity of the tackle. *Aphrodite's Kiss: This is sometimes classed as an illegal tackle and can only be performed by demigod children of aphrodite. The Sighter or either Guiders wink at the opposing Trippers or Blocker, causing them to swoon or blush temperarily making them unconcious, sometimes knocking them off their pegasus. *Hawk Attack Formation: The Sighter and the two Guiders take on an offensive role. They fly together in an arrowhead towards the opposition's goal post. The tactic intimmidates the opposition and is effective at forcing the Blocker and Trippers aside to allow a flag snatching oppurtunity. *Alwyn Alternate: The Sighter and the two Guiders start towards to the opposing goal post using the Hawk Attack Formation but then separate. The Guiders split apart and head directly towards the opposing Trippers in an attempt to distract them from the Sighter and the Sighter flies upwards and towards the goal posts. *Demidov Knockout: The two Guiders fly closely together and hold wrists. They fly directly towards the Blocker in an attempt to knock him/her off their Pegasus, to allow a flag snatching oppertunity. This is almost always classed as an illegal tackle. *Tallin Trap: The two Guiders trap an opposing player by flying on either side of them.They direct themselves and the trapped player towards an obstacle, such as another player or a spectator stand, and then pull out and fly away at the last second. The trapped player collides with the obstacle alomost always knowcking them either unconcious or off of their Pegasus. Again this is almost always classed as an illegal tackle. *Amsterdam Backflip: The Sighter and two Guiders fly in an arrowhead towards the goal post and then do a simultaneous loop in the air to avoid being tackled by the opposing Trippers. They then continue towards the goal post. *Barcelona Dummy: The Sighter and two Guiders group together and fly in a swirling motion-weaving in and out of each others flight path. One of the Guiders then separates and flies off towards the opposing goal post to decieve the trippers into thinking he/she was the Sighter. The remaining Guider and the Sighter continue to swirl towards the goal post until they both separate; the guider flies towards the second tripper in an attempt to confuse him/her and the Sighter flies directly to the goal post. *Extended Hawk Attack Formation: The Sighter, both Guiders and both Trippers fly in an arrowhead towards the opposing goal post. This increases the chance of a flag snatching oppertunity however it leaves their goal post very weakily defended.